Rara Lake Guide: Getting There, Trekking and Seasons

Rara Lake sits in a bowl of forested hills in Mugu district, Karnali Province, in the remote north-west of Nepal. It is the largest lake in the country and the centrepiece of Rara National Park, declared in 1976 to protect the lake and the forests around it. The water is famously clear and changes colour through the day, from deep blue to green to grey as the light and clouds move.

Most of what you need to plan a visit fits in a short table. Fees change, so treat the permit figure as a guide and check current status before you travel.

By air. The fastest route is to fly from Kathmandu to Nepalgunj, usually the afternoon before, then take the morning flight from Nepalgunj to Talcha, about 45 minutes in a small aircraft. From Talcha a wide trail climbs gently through fields and pine forest to the lake in about three hours. This makes a four-night trip possible. The catch is weather: Talcha flights go only in clear conditions and are often delayed.

On foot from Jumla. The classic trek starts with a flight from Nepalgunj to Jumla and takes five to six days to reach Rara, crossing the Jaljala pass at about 3,580 m and passing through the Sinja valley, once the capital of the Khasa kingdom. Nights are spent at meadows such as Chere Chaur and Chalachaur and in villages. Many groups camp, because lodges on this route are few. Most trekkers then fly out from Talcha, making a loop of nine or ten nights.

By road. Rara is now reachable by jeep. The Karnali Highway runs from Surkhet up to Jumla, and a road branches at Nagma to Gamgadhi, the headquarters of Mugu, and on toward the park. From Nepalgunj or Surkhet the drive takes two to three long days on rough mountain roads, with landslide risks in the rains. Nepali visitors increasingly come this way, especially during the Dashain and Tihar holidays.

Which should you choose? If you have less than a week, fly to Talcha. If you have ten days and enjoy walking, trek from Jumla, because the Sinja valley and the high meadows give the lake a context that flying cannot. If you want to see how people in Karnali actually travel, or you are combining Rara with Jumla, Dullu and the Terai parks, go by road and accept the long days.

• Four nights: fly Nepalgunj–Talcha, three nights at the lake, a night at Talcha, fly out.
• Nine to ten nights: fly to Jumla, trek via Sinja to Rara, fly out from Talcha.
• Two weeks: drive from the Terai via Surkhet, Dullu and Jumla, fly out from Talcha.

Rara rewards slowness. Most visitors spend at least one full day walking the circuit of the lake, about 13 km on an almost level path through forest, with regular openings onto beaches and meadows along the water. The walk takes five to six hours with a picnic stop. In the early morning the lake is often perfectly still, and the forest is reflected on the surface.

The other classic outing is the climb to Murma Top, about 3,700 m, on the ridge above the lake. It takes two to three hours up through forest to open grassland, and the view takes in the whole oval of Rara below and, on clear days, snow peaks to the north. Go early, because cloud builds by late morning in most seasons.

• Walk the 13 km shoreline circuit, ideally on your first full day.
• Climb Murma Top for the classic view over the whole lake.
• Take a boat on the lake if the park and local operators are running them.
• Visit the small shrine of Thakur Baba, the local deity of the lake.
• Sit on the north shore at sunset, when the water turns from blue to silver.

Rara was not always a wilderness. Before the park was created, two villages, Rara and Chapru, stood on the shores, farming the flat land beside the water. When the national park was declared in 1976 their families were resettled to the Terai, in Banke district far to the south, and their fields returned to meadow and forest. On the lakeshore walk, ask your guide to show you where the villages stood; stone terraces and old field lines are still visible in places.

Today the people of the surrounding hills are mainly Thakuri and Chhetri farmers who speak Nepali and grow potatoes, buckwheat, barley and beans, with some rice in the lower valleys. Further north in Mugu live Tibetan-speaking Buddhist communities, who trade and herd yaks. Mugu has long been one of the poorest districts in Nepal, and tourism to Rara is one of the few sources of cash income. Buying local food, using local porters and staying in local lodges all help.

The forests around Rara are dominated by blue pine, with spruce, fir, juniper, oak and rhododendron. In April and May the rhododendron flowers in red and pink along the trails. The park is home to the Himalayan black bear, musk deer, goral, Himalayan tahr and the red panda, though all are shy and rarely seen by visitors.

Birds are easier. Look for the Himalayan monal, Nepal's national bird, known locally as danfe, as well as kalij pheasants on forest trails. On the lake in winter and during migration you may see grebes, ducks, coots and gulls. The lake also holds snowtrout, and scientists have described at least one species, the Rara snowtrout, found nowhere else. Fishing is not allowed in the park.

October and November are the best months: clear skies, crisp nights and the most reliable flights. April and May are the second choice, with rhododendron in flower and warmer days, though haze can hide distant peaks. March and September are possible but less settled. From December to February it is very cold, nights fall well below freezing and snow can block trails. The monsoon, June to September, brings cloud, rain, leeches and frequent flight cancellations.

Accommodation at the lake is simple: a handful of lodges near the park headquarters on the north shore, with twin rooms, shared toilets, thick quilts and a stove in the dining room. Bring a warm sleeping bag or liner in any season. There are no ATMs in the area, so carry enough cash from Nepalgunj or Kathmandu. Mobile signal is usually available near the lake.

Rara is a national park, so foreigners pay an entry fee, NPR 3,000 at the time of writing, and since April 2023 foreign visitors in national parks must be accompanied by a licensed guide. No restricted area permit is needed. Check current status before you travel, and always keep a spare day for weather at the end of your trip.